2. NZ
  3. South Island
  4. Southland
  5. Borland Valley
  6. Main Bluffs, Eagle Rock, and Satellites

Main Bluffs, Eagle Rock, and Satellites

(21 routes)

Borland Bluffs is the general term for the complex series of cliffs which exist on the north facing slopes below point 1498 off Eldrig Peak.

Type: 
Crag
Altitude: 
1016m
Aspect: 
North
Walk time: 
45min
Access: 

Find your way to the Borland Lodge. Mark the odometer at the gate into the park and drive 9.5 km along the dirt road. Park at pylon #89. Eagle Rock and the Upper Bluffs should be visible from the road. Follow cairns towards the creek and into the forest on the true left. Then climb the spur (and tape) next to the creek before veering right away from the creek. Continue steeply on taped trail passing most difficulties on the left. A fixed rope leads onto the rocky ridge. It's another 10 minutes to the cliffs.

There is space for 2 tents on "Puke Point" and the Borland Bivvy sleeps 5-6 people (four comfortably).
The cliffs are a stones throw from the bivvy and Puke Point.

New Zealand map

Map, Topo

Lat/Lon: 
-45.748001000000, 167.430525000000
NZMS260: 
C44 768 809
Topo50: 
CE07 668 188
Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Link to edit content
F The Finger 16
0
 wire representing trad 2
This climb ascend the obvious crack systems on the low angled face of The Finger. It can be done in one long pitch or broken in two below the true summit. It's an adventurous route with good gear. Crack climbing skills are required or up the grade by 2.
Steve Skelton, Shana Payne, Keith Brown, 2012, Ground Up
Vertebral Limit 17,13 40m
1.02
 2bolts wire representing trad 2
This striking quartz ladder hides around the corner, on Falcons Nook crag, 5-10 min up and left of Kea Dome (just below the ridge and 'beach')
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11725m2Yes
 

Up obvious white dike then cracks to DBA on tussock ledge.
21315mYes
 

Optional, only a short section of technical climbing. Scramble up right, then up short, sharp but inviting fist crack. Continue up to build a gear anchor at ledge below the ridge. Walk off to left. Optional finish via the cracked prow to right.
Ruari Macfarlane, Paula Macfarlane, March 2020
The Beak Project
0
Open Project. The obvious flake feature on the arete of Eagle Rock has had several attempts. Good gear throughout. Very physical climbing!
Cuz, It's Fuzzy 19 50m
0
 1bolts
Fuzz Wall is around and up from Feature Face. It's the first, aptly named, fuzzy face with several crack lines. Cuz, It's Fuzzy attacks the clean, white face crack visible from the ground. From the ground, the upper climbing appears to go through a vertical lawn of lichen, but once on the wall is enjoyable. Continue out right to a grassy ledge and rings. A full value pitch.
Steve Skelton, Danny Murphy, 2015 : Ground Up.
Furry Little Critters 20 ,18 61m
2.01
 6bolts wire representing trad
P1, 30m, Grade 20. 15mtrs to the left of Feature Face. Climb broken face to gain obvious hand crack. Step right to next crack. Save big gear to the end. DBA
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
12030mYes
 

P1, 30m, Grade 20. 15mtrs to the left of Feature Face. Climb broken face to gain obvious hand crack. Step right to next crack. Save big gear to the end. DBA
21831m6No
 

P2, 31m, Grade 18, 6Bolts plus gear. From anchor step left and climb through dihedral and then up the prow to DBA.
Jimmy Finlayson 1.11.2015
Shaggy 20 35m
0
 1bolts wire representing trad
Located on Fuzz Wall. Just right of 'Cuz, its Fuzzy' is a steep, L facing corner. Climb up towards this, clipping first bolt of "Cuz...". Before entering the corner, step right and up crack through series of small steppy roofs through steep ground, disappearing over the lip to the right of a bush. Follow your nose up buttress with less gear above, to the DBA of "Cuz..." on a ledge near the arete directly above.
Ruari Macfarlane, Steve Skelton, Ground up, Jan 2020
Fearless Fantasies 21 50m
3
 4bolts wire representing trad
Classic trad test piece, bold runouts, solid gear. Beware of placements with weak surface layer, get em in deep and hard. Double ropes, double rack of cams to hand size. lots of large wires, small cams and RPs. Start 10m left of Feature Face. Climb past 4 bolts, continue straight up o R leaning crack, punch to large under cling (Dont place behind it). Continue up and left to orange rock below R end of rooflet, then weave straight up to anchors above lip. A memorable 50m. Can climb FLC or FF to to top.
Jimmy Finlayson FFA Feb 2020
Feature Face 21
3
3 Pitches. Feature Faceoffers sustained, technical face climbing on awesome features up to the highest point of the wall. Now fully bolted, the route originally climbed a flake which has since fallen off. Subsequently there are two starts, the left is up an awkward crack, the right is one face move at grade 24. P1: 17. For a good warm up, lie back the wide crack past two bolts before gaining good feet out right at the third bolt. continue through nice features to a ring anchor below the roof flake. Otherwise start the face direct past three bolts and a 24 crux (FFA Troy Mattingly, Feb 2014). P2: Awesome, sustained face climbing! Make a long, delicate move past the first bolt to gain the roof flake. Crank on through past crimps and slopers, through continuously interesting and delicate climbing. Keep your cool to the belay at a tussocky ledge. 21. P3: Easier climbing past several bolts to cruxy move (18). A single bolt exists on top of the formation for belay. (18). Descent: Rap from the second pitch. Otherwise, to access the upper bluffs walk down to the north, then west across tussocky terrain to the westerly ridge. A good sport link is to continue up equilibrium. Follow the gully down to the east, climbers left to base.
Steve Skelton, Shana Payne, 2012.
The Bishop 19 ,19 50m
2.01
 1bolts wire representing trad
Obvious zigzag crack left of Roaring Forties. Apparently there are some face holds. Rings.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
1190mYes
 

Obvious zigzag crack left of Roaring Forties. Apparently there are some face holds. Rings.
21950m1No
 

Clip first bolt off the belay. Then it's an adventure climb following discontinuous cracks, generally tending rightward to chain anchor. Double set of cams and a #5.

Steve Skelton, Reese Doyle, 2010 : Ground Up.
Roaring Forties 21
2.01
Can be climbed in two long pitches. Both pitches probably grade 20/21 P1: ~40m Climb straight up face left of Myriad (mix of bolts and gear) near the top of the pitch tend left to bolted anchors. P2: 50m Sublime climbing with great variation. Step left and climb through small roof then work your way up the face till you gain the arete. Climb the arete or the face just to the left of the arete to the DBA at top You can rap off these bolts straight down First Blood
Murray Judge, Andy Macfarlane, Circa 1990's
M Myriad 22 50m
3
 5bolts wire representing trad
Amazing climbing on solid rock with varied styles. Originally climbed up the crack, then out to Roaring Forties, the FA team returned to continue up the continuing corner, ground up drill in hand. A single rack of cams is required. Climb fixed line to belay in a tree at the base of a wide crack. P1 : Belay off tree, atop stripped rock below obvious corner crack. Follow off-width crack to small rooflet, then into finger crack. Soak it up through stunning moves until crack angles out left. Here you can bail out left to rings for a stunning grad 17 pitch. Otherwise, continue up corner feature, bridging past bolts and a few gear placements. Move out R onto face and paste yourself to the rock through the delicate crux. Hang on till the rings. 22. P2 : Take the crack directly above. When the crack ends, load it up with gear and step L to a runnel and a bolt. Continue up to ledge and a trad anchor. 21. P3 : (First Dud) Moderate climbing past a few pitons to summit. 14.
Steve Skelton, Reese Doyle, 2010 Ground Up
I2 Invol2ver 26 28m
3
 8bolts
Superb techy climbing on wall between Involver and First Blood.
Troy Mattingley, Feb 2014
I Involver 25 28m
3
 7bolts
The arete between Myriad and First Blood. Sustained technical, [involved] granite wall climbing at its finest! Note that this route really is 28m long. You need a 60m rope to get down, don't try with a 50.
Kester Brown, Feb 2014
FB First Blood 21
1.02
 2 1
P1 : Up crack, through overlap to bolt, then run it out to 2BB. 18 P2 : Excellent face climbing past several bolts to Rings. 21 P3 : Easier climbing past 1 bolt to summit. 15
Steve Skelton, Reese Doyle, 2010 : Ground Up.
D Diagnolator 20
0
 wire representing trad
P1 : L tending crack to soft white flake. Then get into the DIAGNOLATOR! Trad belay. 20 P2 : Up R tending flake, to weakness. Follow R facing crack to half way, then step L to orange patina face. Run it out to the chains! 20 R.
Steve Skelton, Keith Brown, 2012
FB PII First Blood Part II 19
2.01
 1bolts
P1 : Climb the obvious crack to trad anchor in cave. P2 : Up R past 1 Bolt. Stay true to ridge past some beautiful wind polished rock.
Steve Skelton, Reese Doyle, 2010 : Ground Up.
JR Joyride 20 20m
3
 1bolts wire representing trad
Climbs cracks in beautiful orange rock to rings. A must do! cams to #1 and doubles in finger sizes would be handy.
Steve Skelton, Keith Brown, March 2014
Esoteric 21 40m
1.02
 11bolts
adjective : intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest. Starts on loose ground to gain first bolt. The climbing then weaves its way across dykes and patinas to the top. Rings.
Steve Skelton, Keith Brown, March 2014
Sweet Fist Crack 19 20m
1.02
 1bolts wire representing trad
Walk down track from Bivi for 5 minutes. Just before you veer right down a slippery slope, turn left instead. Follow orange tape west on rough track, cross stream. Walk up hill for 50mtrs or so. Climb past 1 bolt to gain sweet gain fist crack. Rap off tree at top.
Jimmy Finlayson. 31.10.2015. Ground up.
Equilibrium 18 25m
3
 9bolts
Located in the Upper Bluffs, below a roof capped wall is this gem of a sport climb. To the left of Diagnolator, find a large pillar leaning against the wall. Chimney up this on climbers right to grassy belay. Start climbing to the right of the bolts, then follow your equilibrium to the left. Rings are on good ledge below the orange rock. Second pitch to come...
Steve Skelton, Ben Dare, April 2016
The Whole Gang 14,15 78m
0
 1bolts wire representing trad 2
Old school lives, on this somewhat adventurous route across the slabs of Kea Dome. Flaring cracks spit out nuts; for a reasonable experience bring a full set of cams.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11433mYes
 

Start on the slabs to the right of the toe of Kea Dome. Wander up and left (sparse gear) to a steeper crux above gear. Enjoy (and sling?) the chickenheads, and the final left trending groove to DBA just right of the broad arete. Note: If abseiling/lowering, knot end(s) of your rope and trend diagonally for the higher ground to climbers right (alternately, easily downclimb the bottom of the slab).
21545m1Yes
 

Follow crack left to steep wall (1b), and continue up cracks left; then right, to their end on a low angle slab. Walk left across a foot ledge to excavate a gear belay in a crack by the tussock spur to the left. Descent: scramble steeply off down spur then right across a gully.
Ruari Macfarlane, Paula Macfarlane, March 2020
Attribution: 
Steve Skelton

Places

Type Title Link to edit content
Face (Alpine) Puke Wall (0 routes)
Face (Alpine) Lower Bluff (0 routes)
Face (Alpine) Feature Wall (0 routes)
UUID: 
f6a37c5b-344b-40a9-b14e-356bdaa70c99